Stamp Duty Calculator

Our stamp duty calculator can help you estimate your costs and find out if you're eligible for an exemption or discount in your state or territory.

Stamp duty is one of the biggest costs you'll pay when buying property in Australia. Stamp duty is a form of tax charged by the state government, and it applies when you buy a property, but not when you sell. Our stamp duty calculator can help you work out how much stamp duty you'll pay when buying a home or investment property.

Luckily, first home buyers in most states and territories can qualify for one-off discounts or concessions, depending on the type of property you buy and the purchase price.

Stamp duty calculator

To use this calculator select your state or territory, enter the value of your property (the full value, not your loan amount), choose the type of purchase (home to live in, investment or land) and select yes or no if you're a first home buyer or not.

Stamp duty exemptions and concessions by state/territory

Your stamp duty cost varies depending on where you live. Governments update these costs every few years, depending on state budgets and tax policy.

Click your state or territory below to find out about stamp duty exemptions.

Your stamp duty is determined by several factors beyond where you live. These are:

  • The cost of the property. The more you pay for your property the higher your stamp duty cost will be.
  • Whether you're a first home buyer. If you've never owned a property before then you may quality for a concession (discount) on your stamp duty or even a full exemption. Pensioners and seniors may also qualify for a discount or exemption.
  • The type of home you buy. The amount of stamp duty that you will be charged may depend on the type of property you purchase, with concessions or exemptions for buying new or off-the-plan properties.

What is stamp duty?

Stamp duty in Australia is a state/territory level tax levied on large transactions such as property purchases, cars or other assets. Historically, stamp duty was levied on the signing of various legal documents, hence the word stamp. Stamp duty is sometimes referred to as transfer duty.

How do I pay my stamp duty?

Open door in a house.

Many buyers pay stamp duty at settlement. Depending on your state or territory, it may be due on settlement day, and in other states you have around 30 days from settlement to organise the payment.

Your lawyer or conveyancer can help you with the logistics of paying stamp duty and will advise you of deadlines. Your conveyancer can also help you organise your paperwork when applying for a concession or exemption.

Can I borrow stamp duty with my loan?

Depending on your borrowing power and the size of your deposit, you may be able to have the amount of stamp duty added to your loan. This is known as having your stamp duty capitalised into the principal of the loan.

This means you are borrowing the money to pay stamp duty, so you'll pay interest on that amount for 30 years.

Keep in mind that this may increase your loan to value (LVR) ratio, which could require you to pay a higher Lenders Mortgage Insurance premium, if your loan is above 80% of the property's overall value.

Stamp duty in unique cases

Do I have to pay stamp duty on vacant land?

All transfers of land come with these costs, which you see by using the stamp duty calculator above. The exception to this is through the various concessions and exemptions available from each state, particularly for first home buyers.

Do I have to pay stamp duty on off-the-plan property?

Yes, stamp duty is still payable on off-the-plan property, but keep in mind there are concessions and exemptions available in different states.

Do I have to pay stamp duty on a loan I am refinancing?

In most cases you will have to pay stamp duty again even if you are refinancing. However, there are situations in which you can avoid paying stamp duty. For example, if the names of the borrowers are the same and the amount of the loan is the same, there might be a chance you could avoid paying stamp duty. In some cases, you might also have to refinance with the same lender to avoid this cost.

If you're borrowing more when refinancing (say, a home loan top up) you may have to pay stamp duty on any amount above the original loan.

Note that in some situations you may have to pay the fees but you can then apply for a refund from the lender. Thus, it pays to make sure you do your research before deciding to refinance because any savings you incur from a lower rate might be completely obliterated if you have to pay stamp duty again. In this case, refinancing may simply not be worth the hassle.

Divorce and stamp duty

Stamp duty isn’t payable if one of you is transferring the title to a home or land to another. However, you can only save on stamp duty if the transfer is done so you can obey a court order. The court must be able to know what assets are owned by each of the parties. This includes all of your assets like land, bank accounts and superannuation. It may be necessary to hire an expert to value an asset.

It’s important to know that parenting is seen as a very important contribution. If the marriage has been a long one, it is often seen as equal to financial contributions. Usually, the court gives the party whose financial future is not as good as the other some extra part of the property owned by the parties.

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337 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    LamiaDecember 2, 2016

    I bought a house for $420,000. How much stamp duty do I have to pay?

      AvatarFinder
      JasonDecember 3, 2016Finder

      Hi Lamia,

      Thank you for your enquiry.

      The cost of government stamp duty may depend on several factors, such as the type of home that you’ll buy, the cost of the property and the state or territory where the property is located, since the stamp duty of some states would cost more than the other states, but most will be around the same amount.

      Please use the Stamp Duty Calculator featured in this page. Just indicate the property value, appropriate state or territory, the property type and select ‘Yes’ if you’re a first home buyer then click the green ‘Calculate’ button and the fees should show up at the right side of the calculator.

      Kind regards,
      Jason

    Default Gravatar
    terrySeptember 29, 2016

    do you pay stamp duty on a home that has been left to you in a will??

      AvatarFinder
      DeeSeptember 29, 2016Finder

      Hi Terry,

      Thanks for your question.

      Stamp duty is also payable when a property is transferred from one person to another. A transfer occurs when a property is given by one person to another without involving any funds or money. This includes passing of property to a person as an inheritance after the death of a relative. In this case, a stamp duty will be charged when the property is transferred and will be calculated based on the market value of the property in question.

      Cheers,
      Anndy

    Default Gravatar
    SephiSeptember 5, 2016

    I have a property valued at $500,000. If I want to transfer 20% to each of my 3 kids. How much stamp duty will each one incur?

      AvatarFinder
      MaySeptember 13, 2016Finder

      Hi Sephi,

      Thank you for your question. You’ve reached finder.com.au – we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage specialists so can only offer general advice.

      The stamp duty you will have to pay will depend on the state and territory where your property is located. Generally, the rates are based on a sliding scale, with percentages increasing according to the value of the property. To get more information on how it is calculated in your state please click on your state in the list above.

      Cheers,
      May

    Default Gravatar
    MareeAugust 31, 2016

    What fees or stamp duty or additional costs are payable when I SELL my home other than the Agents fees in the Northern Territory

      AvatarFinder
      MaySeptember 1, 2016Finder

      Hi Maree,

      Thank you for contacting Finder.

      Possible costs involved when selling a home are outlined in our selling your home guide.

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      May

    Default Gravatar
    VeneAugust 29, 2016

    Hi we bought a house for 392000 in Melbourne VIC. We are first home buyers and we have concession card, how much stamp duty will we have to pay?

    THANKS

      AvatarFinder
      MayAugust 30, 2016Finder

      Hi Vene,

      Thank you for contacting finder.com.au we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage or property experts.

      Basically, in Victoria, if you are eligible for FHOG and the home you purchased is valued less than $600,000, you may be eligible for a duty reduction of up to 50%. This concession applies to new and established homes. You’d be best to check with your state office of revenue for a more accurate computation of your stamp duty.

      Cheers,
      May

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